Team

Dr. Abdoulaye Djire

Assistant Professor, Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University

Djire is an expert in the synthesis and characterization of MXenes and is considered as one of the pioneers of nitride MXenes (MNenes). Djire has over 40 published research articles in esteemed journals and had numerous invited talks at prestigious institutions and international conferences. At Texas A&M University, Djire serves as the Principal Investigator of the Discovery Journey to Innovative Renewable Energy (DJIRE) Laboratory and Summer Research Program. Djire has received numerous awards and recognitions including the DOD ARO Early Career Award, the DOE ARPA-E SPARKS Award, the DuPont GOLD Award, the College of Engineering Dean Excellence Award, the Outstanding Junior Faculty Award, and the U.S.-Africa Frontiers Fellowship. Djire is a member of the Texas PowerHouse Energy Policy Advisory Council. Prior to joining Texas A&M, Djire held positions as a Staff Scientist and a Postdoctoral Researcher at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in the Chemistry and Nanoscience Center. He earned his Ph.D. and Master’s degrees in Chemical Engineering from the University of Michigan and his B.S. degree from Prairie View A&M University. 

Dr. Mark Barteau

Charles D. Holland ’53 Chair
Professor, Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University
Professor, Chemistry, Texas A&M University

Mark A. Barteau holds the Charles. D. Holland ‘53 Chair at Texas A&M, with appointments in the Department of Chemical Engineering and the Department of Chemistry. He received his B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering from Washington University in St. Louis, and his M.S. and Ph.D. from Stanford. He was an NSF Post-doctoral Fellow at the Technische Universität München. He has previously served in faculty and leadership roles at the University of Michigan and the University of Delaware. He was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2006, and the National Academy of Inventors in 2018. His research in surface chemistry, catalysis, and energy processes has been recognized with a number of awards, including the 2018 Lawrence K. Cecil Award in Environmental Chemical Engineering, the 2001 Alpha Chi Sigma Award, and the 1991 Allan P. Colburn Award of AIChE; the 1998 International Catalysis Award; the 1995 Ipatieff Prize from ACS; the Paul H. Emmett Award in Fundamental Catalysis, and the  1993 Canadian Catalysis Lecture Tour Award.

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Bright Ngozichukwu

PhD Student

I got my Bachelor Degree in Chemical Engineering at Federal University of Technology Minna, Nigeria in 2018. I am currently a First year PhD Student with research focused on electrocatalysis for CO2 reduction to value added fuels.

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David Kumar Yesudoss

PhD Student

I completed my Bachelor’s in Chemical and Electrochemical Engineering at CSIR- Central Electrochemical Research Institute, India in 2019. My undergraduate research focused primarily on the performance evolution of cathodes for lithium-ion batteries. After that, I pursued my Master’s in Energy Science and Engineering at DGIST, South Korea. During my stint in the DGIST, I focused on the interfacial tuning of electrodes for electrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction. Exploring zero-gap electrodes and electrolyzers for the conversion of atmospheric pollutants to value-added products is one of my research interests. 

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Laura Hoagland

PhD Student

A Texas native, I came back to this state for my PhD after receiving my bachelors in Chemical Engineering from Purdue University in May of 2022. I am co-advised by Dr. Mark Barteau and Dr. Abdoulaye Djire to work on the applications of MXenes for energy storage.

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Eugenie Marie Pranada

PhD Student

I completed my Master’s Degree in Materials Science and Engineering at Texas A&M in 2023. For my PhD work, I will focus on the use of 2D MXenes for the electrode reactions of batteries, fuel cells, and water splitting devices.

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Burak Mert Yazici

PhD Student

I graduated from Industrial Design Engineering at Erciyes University, Turkey in 2018. For my PhD, Prof. Mustafa Akbulut and Dr. Abdoulaye Djire have co-advised me to work on the composite materials of MXenes for PCB and thermal management applications.

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Rabea Kahkahni

PhD Student

I earned my Bachelor’s Degree in Nanoscience from Yonsei University, Korea, in 2025. I am currently a first-year PhD student working on Urea production using MXenes.

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Wynn Miholits

Undergraduate Researcher

I’m an undergraduate student studying chemical engineering at Texas A&M. I am currently focusing on the synthesis aspect of MXenes to develop novel, optimized approaches for existing structures, in addition to discovering pathways toward new synthesis strategies.

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Carter Garland

Undergraduate Researcher

I first attended Blinn College before transitioning to Texas A&M University, where I am now a sophomore pursuing Chemical Engineering. My research interests lie in hydrogen evolution reactions and oxygen reduction reactions, with a strong passion for advancing cleaner energy solutions. I aspire to build a career in the energy sector, focusing on sustainable and efficient methods of energy use.

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Joshua Ferguson

Undergraduate Researcher

I am a Sophomore in Chemical Engineering at Texas A&M University. My project is about the effect that MXenes have on ammonia production in NRR.

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Kash Kalvakota

Undergraduate Researcher

My name is Kash Kalvakota and I am pursuing a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Materials Chemistry, with great interest in energy and energy storage. I am researching the energy storage capabilities of titanium-based nitride MXenes in aqueous neutral multivalent electrolytes.

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Drew Kolega

Undergraduate Researcher

I’m an undergraduate student chemical engineering major with a minor in material science and engineering at Texas A&M. I am currently researching MXenes long term usage in electrolysis.

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Atharva Shastri

Undergraduate Researcher

I am an undergrad in Chemical Engineering here at Texas A&M University. I worked previously in the Phate lab on the development of hydroelectric motors in the Department of Materials Engineering at Texas A&M University. I also worked at Iowa State University in the Nanovaccine Institute on developing polyanhydride polymers for vaccine delivery systems over the summer of 2025. Working on the electrochemical synthesis of ammonia using 2D nitride MXenes in the Djire lab.

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Maxie

I am a stuffed Cheetah weighing 3 lbs of chonk. I am interested in providing emotional support to all the members and I know I’ve been doing a great job so far.